Unsurprisingly, Skidmore residents were upset by the police presence in town. What gave rise to that theory is that they were in the Legion hall for a meeting, then went down to the D&G [when they heard McElroy was in town]. WebGenealogy for Ken Rex McElroy (1934 - 1982) family tree on Geni, with over 230 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. Still working within the justice system, witnesses who saw McElroy with the gun gave the information the county prosecutor needed to request a bond revocation hearing. While driving down a gravel farm road that abutted his property, Henry came upon a figure and a vehicle that he recognized instantly, Ken Rex McElroy. It really is that it was never spoken of they had an instinctive reaction to close up. The death of the 47-year-old McElroy, who was known as a thief with a violent temper, drew attention for its resemblance to Wild West, vigilante- style justice. Despite his conviction, he was still the arrogant goon he had always been. McElroy and Trena got into their truck. She ran away back into the arms of Ken Rex McElroy. In the end, fear is what killed him, Goslee said. Around forty of them stood outside, while another twenty crowded into the small tavern. While the meeting was going on, McElroy was back in the D&G Tavern drinking with Trena. One account even said that McElroy rode into town on a horse and was shot and killed, Baird, the former prosecutor, said. For years residents had watched Mr. McElroy, 47 years old at his death, wiggle out of one legal problem after another. By this point in his life Ken Rex had become a master of escaping punishment. He would also follow them home, sit outside in his truck and stare at them with his dark, sinister gaze for hours on end. They surrounded McElroy, shouting at him that they had had enough and that his days were numbered. She was born July 5, 1965 in Skidmore, Mo. Who was Ken Rex McElroy? Its owned and run by newcomers. 20 The McElroys eventually left the store, but when Bowenkamp closed up that night, he was outside, waiting. But if tried by a jury of their peers, I doubt anybody around here would have convicted the shooters. A polite person would say that Ken Rex came from humble beginnings, but politeness doesnt fit in a story about Ken Rex McElroy or the Town of Skidmore, so we will forego any. A pact of silence was made between the witnesses. A lot of people were not happy about what happened, MacLean said. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Skidmore is down from 450 (when I was there) to 325. He liked young underage girls starting around twelve to fourteen. Many speculate that McElroy also threatened the jury. Failed to delete flower. ''I can't think that anyone feels any different than you would about the people who invented penicillin. He made no deathbed confession, but someone wrote in a memorial tribute that he was a good, brave man. McFadin, the lawyer who once told The New York Times the town got away with murder, is dead, too. She let it be known that she had gone ''somewhere in Missouri'' because someone might try to kill her. The Tavern, a quonset hut set on a cement floor, stunk irredeemably of grease from all the burgers fried up in there over the years. You can always change this later in your Account settings. One time, a farmer named Romaine Henry caught McElroy trespassing on his property and attempted to chase him off. A subreddit dedicated to the unresolved mysteries of the world. And just over the horizon, beginning Aug. 1 on Sundance TV, is No One Saw a Thing, a six-part immersion in rural Missouri and the notorious 1981 vigilante killing of Ken Rex McElroy. 2. Search above to list available cemeteries. Someone had to put an end to it. Few residents seem to care. The mainstreet is eerily quiet in mid-morning. ; Oleta McElroy-Anderson of Conway, Tammy Wertenberger of St. Joseph, Teresa Dorris of Helena, Mo. McElroy moved Sally onto the family farm with Sharon and their two children. Thanks for your help! There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. When the meeting ended, the group made their way across the street to the tavern to confront McElroy. Burial. He neutralized an entire criminal justice system.. Ken McElroy On the south side of the Garden of the Last Supper memorial. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. As Trena told the story to reporters, a group of men followed them as they left the D&G. This is the story of a bully, and to the town of Skidmore Missouri he was the meanest, nastiest, bully that has ever lived. The D&G Tavern in 1981; it has since closed. When the driver pulled the bus over, Ken Rex would demand that he open the door and let Trena out so that she could get in his pickup truck with him. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/21971/ken-rex-mcelroy. McElroy for years had terrorized the small town of Skidmore Missouri, and was considered the town bully. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. Try again later. The clerk thought nothing more of it, until Ken and Trena McElroy showed up. Outsiders are spotted easily and watched warily. Dozens of them gathered at Skidmores American Legion hall on the morning of July 10, 1981. This account has been disabled. A deer slug in one chamber tore through Bowenkamps neck, coming within 3 inches of his head. Women had a harder time with it than the men. Del Clement has since died, and he never confessed. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. Ken Rex grew into a large and intimidating figure. Many speculate that this traumatic injury was a cause of his volatility and aggression later in life. On his tombstone are the words: brave, fearless and compassionate. I have a feeling his neighbors would have described him somewhat differently. On July 10, 1981, the justice system let the people of Skidmore down, and when it did, they did something that changed their own lives and the town forever. Every school has a bully or bullies, and every small town has that family or families. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. General Mills Recalls Gold Medal Flour Due To Salmonella Risk, 3 Soldiers Killed After 2 U.S. Army Helicopters Crash In Alaska, What To Do When Neighbor Dogs Jump On You, Poop Wherever [Block Talk], Bugs, Insects, Spiders Spring To Life; Let Some Bee, Squish Others, Allergy, Hay Fever Sufferers See An Early Start To Pollen Season, Morel Mushrooms Popping Up In Woods Across America: Where To Find Them, The Great American Solar Eclipse Of 2024 May, Ahem, Eclipse 2017. Try again. Much of his cash, however, went to Richard Gene McFadin, his lawyer. Tony and Mabel were uneducated, and spent the early years of their marriage moving around Missouri and Kansas working as tenant farmers before eventually settling outside of Skidmore in Nodaway County. He abused Alice verbally and physically, and when she gave birth to their son, she moved out to live with her mother and stepfather In St Joseph, the next town over from Skidmore. based on information from your browser. MacLean doesnt believe the men gathered at the Legion hall that morning ever made a group decision to kill McElroy. Close to fifty of them had come together and made a plan to protect the witnesses who were going to testify against McElroy. It is widely accepted that he fired one of the guns that shot McElroy. As well as the piece on McElroys son. McElroy escaped jail on an appeal bond and could remain free until he exhausted his appeals, free to taunt his victims with what had become painfully clear: He would never go to jail. People Projects Discussions Surnames He was the fifteenth of sixteen children born to a poor, migrant tenant farming family that moved between Kansas and the Ozarks before settling outside of Skidmore, Missouri. I dont believe youre coming nowafter we needed your help all this time.. Retaliation would be severe. Ken McElroy in U.S. Social Security Death Index (SSDI) Ken Rex McElroy in FamilySearch Family Tree. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. McElroy for the most part escaped prosecution and, certainly, conviction for various crimes. Harry MacLean, author of the award winning book In Broad Daylight about the McElroy case, spent several years living in Skidmore, interviewing those who were there that day. McElroy tracked the women down, beat them both severely, and brought them home. He was literally untouchable right up until the day he wasnt. In the plainspoken manner of speaking in Skidmore, McElroy simply needed killing, like a gangrened leg needs to be severed to save the whole body. The doctor who treated her was appalled and called child services. Then one day, McElroy drove to the corner store, found Bo Bowenkamp around the back, and shot him in the neck. Investigators dug and dug, but Skidmore residents maintained their silence. WebKen Rex McElroy (1934-1981) - Find a Grave Memorial McElroy for years had terrorized the small town of Skidmore Missouri, and was considered the town bully. Birth. There were plenty of eyewitnesses, as well as the Everyone just went home. He was stalked and threatened mercilessly, only to remain vigilant, appear at trial, testify against Ken Rex, and still see him walk away without consequence. McElroy, known as 'Kenrex' by his friends and his enemies, had an extensive arrest record. Try again. Of course, McElroy had a gun. Ken Rex McElroy Ernst Bo Bowenkamp (source: morbidology.com). The shot violently ripped Romaine Henrys stomach opened, the right side of his body peeling away and laying across his lap. Recent leaks into killing of town bully Ken Rex McElroy - Reddit McElroy was hardly a loving husband and regularly beat Sharon. Scan this QR code to download the app now. As far as I could find, McElroy was married three times. Add to your scrapbook. Born in 1934 the fifteenth of sixteen children McElroy dropped out of school by the time he hit fifth grade and spent the next several decades terrorizing the town of Skidmore, Missouri. It was not the kind of justice they shouldve gotten, 60-year-old Joyce Monte, the Bowenkamps daughter, told Patch in a telephone interview from her home in Oklahoma. There is a problem with your email/password. The story of Ken Rex McElroy began on June 1, 1934. Born in Overland Park, Kansas, on June 1, 1934, McElroy was the fifteenth of Tony and Mabel McElroys sixteen children. WebThe next day, McElroy was shot to death in broad daylight as he sat with his wife Trena in his pickup truck on Skidmore's main street. Search above to list available cemeteries. McElroy was known to pay local kids for information about who was where in town at what time, so the Bowenkamps developed their own network of informants. He intimidated people by driving by at night and firing a shotgun blast, putting a rattlesnake in their mailbox, etc. He was the 15th child of 16 born to Tony and Mabel McElroy. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Nearly 30 years of A swarthy, physically intimidating man who carried about 270 pounds on his more than 6-foot frame, McElroy had thick black eyebrows and bushy sideburns. And thats exactly what they did. System , , . 31 Mar. Being shot in the stomach wasnt enough though. The mere mention of his surname was enough to cause anxiety, if not full terror. There was an error deleting this problem. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. Kenneth M. McElroy, 60, of Butler passed away Tuesday at Butler Memorial Hospital. This browser does not support getting your location. Year. Not a one of 'em felt sorry for him. You know how he oppressed and threatened us. Over the course of his life, McElroy was accused of dozens of felonies, including assault, child molestation, statutory rape, arson, animal cruelty, hog and cattle rustling, and burglary. Injured at work? That it was a vigilante killing is not true for a lot of reasons; if they had decided to kill him, they wouldnt have stood in the street to watch the murder unfold, he said. Weve updated the security on the site. Davis On his release, McElroy strolled into the D&G Tavern, holding a rifle with a bayonet attached. It could be all in my mind, but I dont think so. There is a problem with your email/password. But Skidmore is still Skidmore. Was justice served? Ken McElroy was a middle-aged married man with out of control sideburns and a burly physique. The other charges against Ken Rex would be dropped because the case was impossible to prove without either Alice or Trena testifying, and by this time both women were refusing to. I was in town to spend time with the Goslee family, who had put me up and supported my research for many years, and had received considerable grief for doing it, and to attend a barbecue put on my Dave Dunbar in Lamoni, Iowa. Ken Rex McElroy was buried at Memorial Park Cemetery in St Joseph, Missouri. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. Are you sure that you want to delete this flower? The townspeople resented the constant feeling of anxiety McElroys presence left them with. In the summer of 1981, a jury handed McElroy his first-ever felony conviction for the lesser charge of second-degree assault. But they continued and I ducked. Trena McElroy remarried and had a fairly normal life, refusing interviews after she left Skidmore. There is no denying that McElroy was a skilled criminal; his long career of breaking the law resulted in pockets permanently stuffed with $100 bills. His favored methods of intimidation included approaching people, hissing threats at them and shoving his shotgun in their faces. Verify and try again. The Story of the trials, life and death of Ken Rex McElroy and the Town of Skidmore, Missouri. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. This is not the story of a brutal man that terrorized his family and did bad things. She went right back to the McElroy farmhouse with her son. This part is a rollercoaster. Dunbar talked to him, and [McElroy] pulled a gun on him, Monte said. They are our real life bogey men, and the fear that they give us also leaves us fascinated. Adoption, paternity, divorce, or guardianship? This browser does not support getting your location. Unresolved: The Town That Killed Ken McElroy Debbie Ann McElroy McElroy Born in Overland Park, Kansas, on June 1, 1934, McElroy was the fifteenth of Tony and Mabel McElroys sixteen children. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Debbie McElroy (224629012)? Make sure that the file is a photo. When word spread that McElroy was in town, a couple of the men walked from the Legion hall to the D&G. We went everywhere we could, but justice would stay delicately out the way, she said. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Designed by McWilliams Media Tulsa, OK Website Design, McAlester Estate Planning | McAlester Attorneys | Will and Trust. A couple of men hustled Trena to a nearby bank, away from the gunfire. spur of the moment that got completely out of hand how do I know I was one of the people who witnessed the killing , or as some people say , murder all of us took an oath , the shooters & the other witnesss .it was surreal as to what happened he sat their [in his pickup truck] , just like in the movie calmly & looked in his mirror to see the crowd behind him , he knew I believed that it was the end for him & that he was about to die , no way in hell was that crowd letting him leave.